Cantarella
by Tsaritsa'Ryeya
Summary: Not your happy ending fairytale. Vendetta's a jealous stepmother who wanted Marvin to herself, but Charlotte won him. Her best friend: a vile of cantarella. A story told in reverse chronological order, with a Cinderella theme, but twisted. T for killing.


December 24th-25th, 11:55 P.M.-12:00 A.M.

Kneeling down, she pulls her hair back, putting her head on the block. She is to die within the next five minutes.

- "Do you regret what you did?" the man pulls his ax out, and sharpens it. The priest questions her. "If you ask for forgiveness, you will not burn in hell. Do you regret what you've done?"

- "No." A silence stunned the crowd. "And to be honest," blood red lips formed the nastiest smirk she could pull off. "I'd do it again."

The priest looks at the clock. It is two minutes until the bell chimes. He nods at the executioner, and clears his throat.

- "For the death of your stepdaughter and Prince Marvin, you have been order to die by ax." The man approached and raised the ax above her head. She smiled.

When he brought it down to her neck, the church bell had just begun to ring. The queen who bared the color green was dead.

December 24th, 10:28 P.M.

Sitting in her throne; her **royal** seat, the door was thrown open, and there stands a woman of dark blue-green.

- "What a pleasure for you to join us, Maggie."

- "Queen Vendetta," the woman hissed and held up a warrant. The queen raised an eyebrow at this. "You have been marked for death."

- "Under what circumstances?" The woman motioned for a guard to bring forward the tiny vile. She held it up.

- "For the poisoning of King Marvin and his queen, Charlotte." Vendetta hid her smirk. "This vile of cantarella was found at the scene."

- "I see."

- "Do you plead innocent, you despicable waste of space?"

- "I dare not lie, for it was me. The queen whom should've married the prince. The queen whom should've been picked over the girl."

- "Seize her, and take her to the prison," Maggie commanded. "She dies at the first bell of Christ's Day."

December 24th, 2:49 A.M.

Standing there at the altar, he rocked on his heels, and from the doors, the figure of the woman who killed his love walks slowly up the aisle. No one but him and his minister, a man who is a dull, gray-purple color, are there.

When Vendetta reaches him, they face the priest.

- "…We've gathered here to join King Marvin Sink in matrimony with Queen Vendetta Zahari… If anyone is to object, speak now."

There was no protest from Marvin.

- "Do you, Marvin, take Vendetta, to be your lawfully wedded wife, and to rule this country with you?" He stayed silent.

- "Yes." Vendetta held back an angry scoff at his simple answer.

- "And do you-."

- "You need not ask me, for…" the woman smiled at the younger. "I do."

The priest turned to the table and picked up a cup of wine.

- "For unity, the Queen requests you drink from the same cup, instead of exchanging vows. The King shall go first." Handing Vendetta the cup, she sent him the most innocent look she could muster.

She brings the cup to his lips, and once his are placed on it, she tips it back to make him drink more than just a little sip.

He pulls back, and the cup falls, staining the pale carpet. He begins to cough from too much wine.

Then, he stops breathing and he falls.

- "He did say he's be better off dead." Vendetta turns to Malachi. "If you dare even think about this incident, I'll have you burned at stake."

She takes her leave, stepping over the man she loves, and walking down the aisle, humming the procession song.

December 23rd, 5:30 P.M.

- "It is so nice of you to join us for Christmas Eve tea, Vendetta," Charlotte smiled brightly. "It is also very kind of you to make it."

Charlotte hums peacefully, and Marvin seems nervous. Then again, he is sitting in the room with the stepmother of his new bride, who also had vied for the attention he now gives Charlotte.

- "Who wants the first cup?" Vendetta smiles as Charlotte eagerly raises her hand.

- "ME!" Vendetta sets it down in front of her stepdaughter. The girl eagerly brings it to her lips and takes a drink.

**Clunk**.

- "Charlotte!" Marvin rushes over to his wife's lifeless body.

- "It's no use, she's dead." The man stares at the woman in shock. "You could be like her, or you could marry me."

- "I'd be better off dead."

- "Call your minister, for he is to wed us this morning at two." She turns on her heels. "I will return to my guest room."

December 15th, 6:15 P.M.

Sitting quietly at her table, Vendetta gently stirred her coffee, and watched as the newlyweds cut their cake, and Charlotte playfully shoved a piece in Marvin's face.

- **That should be me**, she thinks bitterly. **I should be there sharing a cake with the pri- No… KING!**

- "Queen Vendetta," her serving maid of light blue, Marion, begins. "We should get going. You do have Queenly duties."

- "Let me wish my stepdaughter a good life ahead of her." The woman stands as she walks up to the girl who dared not address her as 'mother.' "Hello, Charlotte."

- "Oh! Vendetta!" the girl giggled. "Isn't this wonderful? It's like," Charlotte takes a moment to continue. "A fairytale."

Vendetta clenches her teeth, and nods.

- "Very much so. I must be on my way," she motions for Marion to come closer. "I wish you and _King_ Marvin luck."

- "Aw! Thank you Vendetta! You can visit us anytime!" Vendetta strolled to the door, and turned to Marion when they were out of earshot.

- "She will be killed."

December 1st, 12:00 A.M.

- "Who is that little scumbag dancing with _my prince_?" Vendetta turned to the blue-gray escort, Mort, and growled. "I want to know!"

- "That… That is your stepdaughter," Mort said quietly, watching the couple in the middle with worried eyes. "Prince Marvin has taken quite a liking to her."

- "It is not suppose to be like that!" Vendetta growled, looking at the dark green man dancing with _her_ stepdaughter.

- "It was the will of your late husband, Qu-."

- "I could give less of a shit about his will." Mort squeaked quietly. "I was going to be the next wife of the prince. I refuse to let the little brat take my spot!"

- "Everyone, I have an announcement!" The prince had walked up to the stage, his hair a mess, and his arm around Charlotte. "I am to wed to Charlotte is two weeks! I hope you all can attend!"

- **She will die.**

- "Let's go, Morton."

November 30th, 3:58 A.M.

- "Your father has passed." The young blue girl gasped and covered her face. "He passed peacefully, speaking only of you to me. He loves you, Charlotte."

- "As I did him…" Vendetta smiled, and sat down on her stepdaughter's bed. "Vendetta, what ailed him?"

- "Whatever those dirty peasants brought in when the begged him for mercy."

- "Not all peasants are bad," Charlotte stated.

- "And you certainly aren't queen material to think such thoughts." The green woman stood, and glowered at her blue stepdaughter. "Now, if you want to be royalty in my palace, start acting like it. I am to prepare for a ball I will be attending tomorrow.

With that, the woman left, and her daughter began to sob loudly.

October 31st, 3:39 A.M.

The woman of green knelt by her orange-yellow colored husband.

- "Vendetta…"

- "Shh… Shh… I'm here Grudge," she muttered softly. She could see his body paling each second.

- "When I'm gone… Care for Charlotte…"

- "I will."

- "And… I want her… To wed… Prince…" he coughed, and looked at the ceiling. "Marvin."

Vendetta grew silent. Surely, she had feelings towards the young prince.

- "I will make sure of it, my king."

The man turned and Vendetta placed a light kiss on his lips. Grudge smiled.

- "I love you," were his final words. As he passed, Vendetta stood up, smiling. She removed from under his pillow the vile of cantarella.

- "As if I am to let Charlotte wed that prince. Silly fool," she murmurs to herself. "It is to be me."

Vendetta smiles in the mirror at herself, and waits about twenty minutes before going to talk to her stepdaughter about her father's 'unfortunate passing' due to a 'sudden illness.'

- **Cantarella… My best friend.**

* * *

Ages are what you want in this. Personally, Grudge is 40, Vendetta's 30, Charlotte's 19, and Marvin's 22. Anyone else mentioned here is whatever age you want them to be.

I also debated giving this an 'M' rating due to killing, but eh… Whatever.

Kudos to .abzavenue. for helping me~ ILY DARLEEEEEENE~

Making Fiends © Amy Winfrey.


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